Ceramic or Metal - Can I tell without taking them to bits? - GT-R Register - Official Nissan Skyline and GTR Owners Club forum

gsxrgavin · 21st August 2006, 12:31 PM

How can I tell if my turbo's have ceramic or metal turbines without taking them apart. Someone once told me that the ceramics spool-up quicker, is this true and would I be able to tell? My car is an R33 GTR and it's been running 1.2 bar of boost ever since it came over from Japan. I know this is over the top for ceramic internals which is why I am hoping they are metal. I just need a bit of reassurance!

kismetcapitan · 21st August 2006, 02:40 PM

I've heard 1 bar, 1.1, 1.3 being the max on the stock ceramic turbos. Ceramics do spool quicker but can shatter under extreme heat conditions or during some particularly nasty detonation in the exhaust tract, like that anti-lag that WRC cars use. I think the Japanese think 1.3 is the max on stock ceramics, but then again they have better gas over there. Did you remap your car for your local gas? I think it's avoiding detonation that's the main thing.

btw, if you do blow a turbo, pray that your foot is on the gas, and the bits will shoot out the tailpipe. If you lift right when it shatters, the vacuum will suck the bits into your intake, which I think is not so good.

AFAIK, there is no way to tell without actually taking a visual look at the turbine inside the housing. You don't have to disassemble the turbo, just the intake pipes so you can take a look at the innards.

NigelR32 · 21st August 2006, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kismetcapitan

AFAIK, there is no way to tell without actually taking a visual look at the turbine inside the housing. You don't have to disassemble the turbo, just the intake pipes so you can take a look at the innards.

You cant tell by looking in the intakes. You need to look into the turbine (Exhaust) side by removing an elbow. If the nut in the centre is a 12 point, they're ceramic.

Regards

kismetcapitan · 21st August 2006, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NigelR32

You cant tell by looking in the intakes. You need to look into the turbine (Exhaust) side by removing an elbow. If the nut in the centre is a 12 point, they're ceramic.

Regards

my bad, got it backwards. 12 point eh? how many points on a steel wheel center nut? Aren't the ceramic wheels whitish in color? My engine is out which is why I'm asking, ought to take another look myself at my own turbos.

NigelR32 · 21st August 2006, 04:04 PM

The Ceramic wheels are white, but stain with use. Some people assume the turbo's they have are ceramic, because the wheels are non magnetic...ALL the wheels are non-magnetic.

The nut in the centre is either 3 or six sided on a "Steel" turbo, in my experience.

paul cawson · 21st August 2006, 04:19 PM

One of the tuners may have a borescope? they could remove the Oxygen sensor and look that way.

kismetcapitan · 21st August 2006, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NigelR32

The Ceramic wheels are white, but stain with use. Some people assume the turbo's they have are ceramic, because the wheels are non magnetic...ALL the wheels are non-magnetic.

The nut in the centre is either 3 or six sided on a "Steel" turbo, in my experience.

righto, going to take a look at the nut again, but it looked dingy white to me when I had a look see this weekend, which means ceramic.

GT-R Nutter · 27th August 2006, 05:35 PM

Quote - If the nut in the centre is a 12 point, they're ceramic.

What do you mean by 12 point ? - 12 blades ??

GT-R Nutter · 27th August 2006, 05:44 PM

just looked at mine R34 one's waiting to go on - the nut looks like a xex screw and i've go twelve

Mookistar · 27th August 2006, 06:25 PM

this is a ceramic turbine wheel

GT-R Nutter · 27th August 2006, 06:48 PM

yep - exacrly like mine ! damn i'll have to get steel blades then !!

kevinarnold · 28th August 2006, 02:14 AM

simple way to tell is stick i fridge magnet on the exhaust wheel, if it sticks its got to metal doesnt it?

Mookistar · 28th August 2006, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinarnold

simple way to tell is stick i fridge magnet on the exhaust wheel, if it sticks its got to metal doesnt it?

nope, as per a previous post, metal they use is non-magnetic

mook

T.F.S. · 29th August 2006, 12:51 PM

i have a three sided nut on the inlet side (IIRC)....that means its steel blades on the exhaust then?

i just put a magnet to it and thought it was ceramic..be very cool if its steel!!

Mookistar · 29th August 2006, 01:06 PM

inlet side...

21st August 2006, 12:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
gsxrgavin GTROC Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bury St. Edmunds Posts: 30	Ceramic or Metal - Can I tell without taking them to bits? How can I tell if my turbo's have ceramic or metal turbines without taking them apart. Someone once told me that the ceramics spool-up quicker, is this true and would I be able to tell? My car is an R33 GTR and it's been running 1.2 bar of boost ever since it came over from Japan. I know this is over the top for ceramic internals which is why I am hoping they are metal. I just need a bit of reassurance!

21st August 2006, 04:04 PM	#5 (permalink)
NigelR32 GTR Register Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: RB26ville Posts: 916	The Ceramic wheels are white, but stain with use. Some people assume the turbo's they have are ceramic, because the wheels are non magnetic...ALL the wheels are non-magnetic. The nut in the centre is either 3 or six sided on a "Steel" turbo, in my experience. __________________ Nigel...........GTROC Member Now on '32GTR No.3

27th August 2006, 06:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
Mookistar ADMINISTRATOR Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Living life 8min 50 secs at a time Posts: 10,407	this is a ceramic turbine wheel __________________ FOR ALL GTR FORUM RELATED ISSUES CONTACT THE ADMIN TEAM 'MOOKISTAR' OR 'MOLEMAN' SKYLINE FAQ'S!

29th August 2006, 01:06 PM	#15 (permalink)
Mookistar ADMINISTRATOR Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Living life 8min 50 secs at a time Posts: 10,407	inlet side... __________________ FOR ALL GTR FORUM RELATED ISSUES CONTACT THE ADMIN TEAM 'MOOKISTAR' OR 'MOLEMAN' SKYLINE FAQ'S!

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21st August 2006, 02:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
kismetcapitan GTR Register Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seoul Korea Posts: 6,596	I've heard 1 bar, 1.1, 1.3 being the max on the stock ceramic turbos. Ceramics do spool quicker but can shatter under extreme heat conditions or during some particularly nasty detonation in the exhaust tract, like that anti-lag that WRC cars use. I think the Japanese think 1.3 is the max on stock ceramics, but then again they have better gas over there. Did you remap your car for your local gas? I think it's avoiding detonation that's the main thing. btw, if you do blow a turbo, pray that your foot is on the gas, and the bits will shoot out the tailpipe. If you lift right when it shatters, the vacuum will suck the bits into your intake, which I think is not so good. AFAIK, there is no way to tell without actually taking a visual look at the turbine inside the housing. You don't have to disassemble the turbo, just the intake pipes so you can take a look at the innards.

21st August 2006, 04:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
paul cawson New Users Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Essex Posts: 2,098	One of the tuners may have a borescope? they could remove the Oxygen sensor and look that way.

27th August 2006, 05:35 PM	#8 (permalink)
GT-R Nutter GTR Register Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kings Lynn, Norfolk Posts: 208	Quote - If the nut in the centre is a 12 point, they're ceramic. What do you mean by 12 point ? - 12 blades ??

27th August 2006, 05:44 PM	#9 (permalink)
GT-R Nutter GTR Register Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kings Lynn, Norfolk Posts: 208	just looked at mine R34 one's waiting to go on - the nut looks like a xex screw and i've go twelve

27th August 2006, 06:48 PM	#11 (permalink)
GT-R Nutter GTR Register Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kings Lynn, Norfolk Posts: 208	yep - exacrly like mine ! damn i'll have to get steel blades then !!

28th August 2006, 02:14 AM	#12 (permalink)
kevinarnold GTR Register Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 18	simple way to tell is stick i fridge magnet on the exhaust wheel, if it sticks its got to metal doesnt it?

29th August 2006, 12:51 PM	#14 (permalink)
T.F.S. GTR Register Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: londonish Posts: 1,539	i have a three sided nut on the inlet side (IIRC)....that means its steel blades on the exhaust then? i just put a magnet to it and thought it was ceramic..be very cool if its steel!!